Automated Backup Script (Python)

This project is a simple Python-based automated backup utility that periodically creates timestamped backups of a source directory into a destination directory. It is useful for safeguarding important files, project folders, or datasets by maintaining regular backups with minimal manual intervention.

Features

• Automatically creates backups at fixed time intervals
• Stores backups in timestamped folders for easy versioning
• Copies both files and directories
• Ignores unnecessary folders like .git and pycache
• Logs all backup activity and errors to a log file
• Runs continuously in the background once started

Project Structure

.
├── backup.py
├── backup_log.txt
└── README.md

Requirements

• Python 3.7 or higher
• Standard Python libraries only (no external dependencies)

Configuration

Open the script and modify the following variables as needed:

SOURCE_DIR = r'D:\Code\images'
DEST_DIR = r'D:\Dest'
BACKUP_INTERVAL = 86400

• SOURCE_DIR – Directory to be backed up
• DEST_DIR – Location where backups will be stored
• BACKUP_INTERVAL – Time interval in seconds between backups (86400 seconds = 24 hours)

How It Works

• A new backup folder is created using the current timestamp
• All files and directories from the source folder are copied
• Each backup is stored separately to preserve previous versions
• Activity and errors are written to backup_log.txt
• The script waits for the specified interval and repeats the process

Running the Script

python backup.py

The script will continue running until it is manually stopped.

Logs

All operations are logged to:

D:\Code\webproj\backup_log.txt

Logs include:

• Backup completion timestamps
• Waiting intervals
• Errors during file operations

Use Cases

• Daily backups of project folders
• Personal file safety
• Dataset version preservation
• Lightweight alternative to full backup tools

Notes

• Ensure both source and destination directories exist before running
• The script is designed for Windows paths but can be adapted for other operating systems
• Run the script using Task Scheduler or a background process for automation

License

This project is open-source and free to use for personal or educational purposes.